To offer the driver of a motor vehicle assistance during the maneuvering of his motor vehicle, different driver assistance systems are available on the market. In particular, the driver is assisted with the aid of suitable driver assistance systems, for example, when parking or also when maneuvering at low speeds. For this purpose, the surroundings of the motor vehicle are initially detected using suitable sensors, for example, to indicate to the driver the distance to objects in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The indication of the distance takes place, for example, visually or acoustically, for example, with the aid of an acoustic warning sound, whose frequency increases as a function of a distance becoming shorter, in order to provide information about the proximity to an object in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. Alternatively, a visual indication is also known, for example, the number of lighted LEDs or the length of a bar increasing when the motor vehicle approaches an object. If a minimal distance is not reached, a continuous sound is emitted or a red light is shown to warn the driver, for example. In the case of visual displays, it is also known to show the motor vehicle in a top view to the driver on a display device, for example, a display screen of a navigation system or also a separate display device, and to indicate the distance to an object by distance lines, for example.
A device, which may be used to recognize and signal obstructions, is discussed, for example, in DE 198 21 929 A1. Here, using suitable ultrasound emitters, signals are emitted which reflect off an obstruction. The reflected ultrasound waves are received and the distance to an obstruction is determined on the basis of the time which passes between the emission of the signal and the reception of the echo. The distance to the obstruction is assumed to be the distance detected by the sensor which measures the shortest distance. Corresponding alarm devices, an alarm sound, for example, indicate to the driver of the motor vehicle at what distance the object is located and in which direction it lies.
In the case of the systems from the related art, it is believed that it is only understood in each case to indicate to the driver the distance to the closest object. None of the known systems permit, however, the shortest distance to a specific object in the surroundings of the motor vehicle to be indicated in a targeted manner to the driver or the driver to be informed of the distance to a specific object via acoustic or haptic indicators. In particular, it is believed that it is not possible using such systems for the driver to have the option of selecting an object, whose distance is to be displayed.